Psychosocial nanism as a result of attachment deformation in children left without parental care

Background. An important feature of psychosocial nanism is its openness to corrective influences. However, in residential care facilities, it is possible to provide only external conditions that guarantee physical security but do not form a feeling of social attachment. A way to solve the problem can be sending a child to a foster family. Aim. The article deals with considering the phenomenon of psychosocial nanism in the context of social attachment in children left without parental care (hereinafter, LWPC children) and brought up in different conditions (in foster families and residential care facilities). Materials and methods. The study was conducted on the following premises: Sandyktau Orphanage (village of Sandyktau, Akmola Region, Kazakhstan), Esil Orphanage (Esil, Akmola Region, Kazakhstan), foster families of the villages of Baitus and Kenashchi (North Kazakhstan Region, Kazakhstan). The sample consisted of the LWPC children of preschool age brought up in an orphanage (25 people) and in foster families (25 people). Results. In LWPC children from an orphanage, the type of attachment relationship in the final diagnosis has insignificant changes in comparison with the initial diagnosis. In LWPC children from a foster family, the type of attachment has a significant difference in comparison with the initial diagnosis. There are statistically significant differences in the growth rate of LWPC children brought up in foster families and in orphanages. Anthropometric development in children raised in a foster family is faster than in children raised in an orphanage. The type of attachment was determined using a story-completion task. Statistical processing of the research results was carried out by calculating using a story-completion task. Statistical processing of the research results was carried out by calculating the criteria for the significance of the ᵡ² differences and Mann-Whitney using the Statistica v. 15.0 software. Conclusion. Psychosocial nanism as a functional feature of the body manifested in reduced body length compared with peers and being the result of adverse conditions of the external and internal environment is leveled into normal physical development provided that there is an object of attachment, who will act as a stabilizer of emotional, psychological and physical safety of a child.